In 2016, the American people elected a President who promised to return to the practice Ronald Reagan called “peace through strength.” They were responding to the appalling failures of the Obama administration’s national security policies. Donald Trump’s victory was also a popular rejection of the prospect of more of the same under Mr. Obama’s first Secretary of State.

Mr. Trump has now nominated Mike Pompeo as his second Secretary of State. His life experience as a top-of-his-class graduate of West Point and distinguished service as an Army officer and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency equips him brilliantly to pursue peace through strength.

It would be regrettable if those who lost in 2016 cause such a man’s nomination to be spurned today in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Fortunately, it seems likely the full Senate will agree with the winner.